Nielsen Catalina Launches CPG Benchmarks

In the US, shopper insights specialist Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) has released what it describes as the 'first ever' consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry benchmarks for return on advertising spend (ROAS) and sales productivity metrics across media type.

The firm, which was formed in 2009 as a joint venture between Nielsen and Catalina Marketing Corporation, matches Nielsen media data with Catalina frequent shopper card data from millions of households. The new benchmarks are drawn from a study by the firm called Yes, Advertising Works. Now, What's My ROAS Across Media Platforms? - and allow marketers to compare the return they should expect from their cross-media, digital video, display, linear TV, and magazine ad spending.

NCS analysed nearly 1,400 campaigns across 450 brands from seven categories, over the course of eleven years. The NCS dataset integrates 90 million households of in-store purchase data, with each of the media platforms in a single source to determine the incremental sales impact of advertising. Data was analyzed many different ways to determine not only the key metrics, but what factors drive sales, such as the size of the brand, brand equity, purchase frequency, etc.

In its analysis, NCS worked with The Advertising Research Foundation, CBS Corporation, Meredith Corporation, Sequent Partners and a technology and display advertising company. Leslie Wood (pictured), the company's Chief Research Officer, comments: 'The insights we've uncovered by comparing ROAS and incremental sales across media types are invaluable. While there is no 'best' media, and choices should be driven by strategy and message, advertisers can leverage this data to inform their media decisions'.

Web site: www.ncsolutions.com .